


Siblings

by RestlessnessGivenFocus



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Game)
Genre: Children Adventure AU, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-31
Updated: 2019-08-12
Packaged: 2019-10-20 03:30:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17614598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RestlessnessGivenFocus/pseuds/RestlessnessGivenFocus
Summary: This is set in Empy-Caelumgarden's Children Adventure AU which can be found here: http://empy-caelumgardens.tumblr.com/ .You ought to check it out before reading this as it won't much sense otherwise. It's also just worth it if you're into adorable AUs!





	1. Mirage

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Empy-Caelum Gardens (MagicBirb)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MagicBirb/gifts).



> This is set in Empy-Caelumgarden's Children Adventure AU which can be found here: http://empy-caelumgardens.tumblr.com/ .
> 
> You ought to check it out before reading this as it won't much sense otherwise. It's also just worth it if you're into adorable AUs!

           They didn’t know how long they had been marching through the underbrush, not that they ever could tell; the insufferable green maze looked the same no matter how long they walked.

           At first glance, they were not a particularly intimidating bug. They were young, if their height was any indication, and their horns were lopsided. On both corners of their mask protruded two simple, sharp bumps, but from the left side, they had a second, larger curved horn extending well above their head. The difference in weight was noticeable in the way they walked; their gait clearly favored their left side. No, at first glance, one would have been surprised to find a bug like this in the wilds.

           As any experienced traveler knew however, looks could be deceiving.

           Looking closer, one would notice the stillness in the bug’s black eyes. Within them hid a preternatural darkness, the mark of a vessel; though, few knew enough to realize that. In their hand, they held a rusted nail, worn from years of use but still quite capable. Wrapped around the base of their left horns was a bandage, a reminder that life in the wilds was never to be taken for granted. Whatever they were, this was clearly not a bug to be so casually dismissed.

           Trailing behind them was their younger sibling. They were a tiny thing, hardly coming up to the larger vessel’s waist. Unlike their older sibling, their horns came out of the side of their mask, four small sharp bumps pointed backwards. A bandage was wrapped around their head as well, completely covering their right eye.

           They had had more siblings once, fellow vessels like them. Beyond that however, they couldn’t remember much. The wilds to the west Hallownest had a way of gnawing at the mind, and they had both spent most of their lives in them.

           What the older vessel did know, however, was that, with one notable exception, they had never seen another vessel. Not once during all their wanderings, not even when they had deliberately searched, had they ever caught the slightest hint of one of their other siblings. In the end, they had come to the conclusion that they and the vessel behind them were among the only, if not _the_ only, ones left of their siblings.

           It was bitter, sobering realization, that they were among the only two of their kin remaining. The older vessel wasn’t even sure if the little one was entirely aware of their situation; they themselves had yet to come to grips with it fully. Despite that, there was one thing they were sure of. No matter what happened, no matter what it took, they couldn’t let their sibling die. They couldn’t lose the only other one of their kind, not when they were all they had left. They _had_ to protect them.  _They had to . . ._

           Suddenly, they felt a familiar tugging at the back of their cloak. Shaking themselves out of their thoughtful stupor, they turned around to find their younger sibling pulling on them.

           The tiny vessel looked _exhausted_. Their shoulders sagged, and their head drooped slightly forward. Their usual exuberance was completely absent as they appeared to be having a hard enough time simply continuing to stand.

           Worse, as the older one now realized, they had gotten distracted thinking instead of remaining alert. This _always_  seemed to happen to them when they got tired. Why hadn’t they it noticed sooner? If something had _happened_ while they had not been paying attention and their sibling had gotten _hurt_ . . .

           The older one shook their head. They could not be getting lost in thought again; they had to find a place for them and their sibling to rest. They placed their nail on their back before scooping their younger sibling up in their arms.

           They began scouring the nearby area, looking perhaps for an empty burrow or den, someplace tucked away as to avoid unwanted guests. Even a simple room or clearing would do, just somewhere where they would be a little less vulnerable.

           Despite their searching however, they couldn’t find anywhere to hold up, and now with the additional weight from carrying their sibling, the length of the day’s exertion was finally beginning to catch up to them. If they couldn’t find a place to rest soon, they might have to remain out in the underbrush again . . . and that was a thought they did _not_ want to entertain.

           Then, from above them, there came the faint but unmistakable sound of something scraping against stone. Suddenly tense, the older one quickly looked up, scanning for whatever had made the noise, ready to draw their nail at the slightest provocation. The area however, remained just as silent and still as it had previously been. Whatever had made the noise must have already scurried off.

           Relaxing a little, the vessel took one last look around before returning to-

           Hold on, right over there, there was a small ledge some distance above the ground, just a little outcropping of stone almost invisible from where they were. They wouldn’t have even noticed it if it wasn’t for the noise; it was so well hidden.

           Wait . . . well hidden?

_Perfect_.

           However, the ledge was too high for them to simply jump up to it. No, if they wanted to get up there they would have to use their wings. They had had them for almost as long as they could remember, but despite that, they were still hesitant to use them. Their lopsided horns tended to make their trajectory rather . . . _unpredictable_.

           Still, the ledge was the only option they had seen, and they were only getting more tired the longer they searched. If they couldn’t find somewhere else . . .

           Ultimately, they decided to chance using their wings. Moving closer to the ledge, they reaffirmed their grip on their young sibling. Kneeling slightly, they jumped up toward the ledge. At the apex of their jump, a pair of ethereal, white wings suddenly appeared from their cloak, carrying them even higher.

           Then everything went wrong.

           Precisely as they had feared, the wings failed to compensate for the uneven weight of the vessel’s horns, and instead of a smooth ascent, they were sent tumbling off course through the air.

           They hit the ground on their shoulder with a sickening thud, losing their grip on their sibling in the process. After rolling several times, they finally came to a halt, splayed across the ground on their back.

_Ugh_. That could have gone better.

           By the time they sat up, their younger sibling was already rushing toward them. They quickly grasped onto their older sibling’s thankfully uninjured arm and began frantically rubbing it to grab their attention. The little vessel themselves certainly seemed to be alright at least.

           The older vessel checked their other shoulder. Despite the throbbing pain, they could still move it. They would be able to continue on, for now anyway.

           They looked at their sibling who was still holding onto their arm and moved to place their injured arm on the little one’s head. They must have shaken more than they would have liked to in the process because the tiny vessel seemed none too reassured by the gesture. In fact, they seemed, if anything, _more_ worried than before. They kept pointing at them as if trying to get their attention.

           Wait, they weren’t pointing _at_ them. They were pointing _past_ them.

           They turned around, only to discover a long, thin hallway. Scanning further, the vessel realized that they hadn’t gone off course during their jump at all. They _had_ landed on the ledge; only, it wasn’t _just_ a ledge. It was the entrance to the hallway they were now in.

           They felt themselves grow tense. Hidden passages were usually hidden for a reason. Still, based on the encroachment of plant life, the passage seemed like it had been abandoned long ago, and they hadn’t found anywhere else to rest . . .

           Standing up, they took a few steps further into the hallway before signalling for their sibling to follow. The young one quickly ran to them before almost hiding behind them in the folds of their cloak, clearly still unnerved by the passageway.

           The hallway was surprisingly long, and as they went further and further in, the older vessel’s sense of unease continued to grow. The passage grew unusually dark with every step they took, and they had begun to notice that something was off with the vegetation. It didn’t look quite natural the way it had grown but instead look liked it had been _placed_ there, as if to give the illusion of abandonment.

           They were about ready to turn back when they suddenly emerged from the hallway into a large room, only to immediately stop.

           There in the middle of the room stood a _vessel_. They were the same size as the younger one with a blue cloak and two smooth, curved horns on the corners of their head. Their eyes held the same unmistakably still gaze.

           The older vessel starred, utterly dumbfounded by the sudden discovery. After all that time, all that _searching_ , they had finally found another of their kin. Not only that, at the edge of their mind they could feel the tingling of memory. They _knew_ that set of horns, and they knew this vessel, even if they could not remember the last time they had seen them.

           Suddenly, their younger sibling rushed past them, running directly toward their kin. The older one, once again stirred from thought, quickly joined their younger sibling. Just as quickly as they had begun however, the older one stopped.

           They hadn’t noticed it before, overwhelmed as they were by the sudden discovery of their new sibling, but their new sibling had not moved since their arrival. Vessels were not known for being particularly expressive sure, but both they and their young sibling had clearly _reacted_ at the sight of their new sibling. Their new sibling however, hadn’t given the slightest hint of emotion; they hadn’t even seemed _surprised_ at the two’s sudden arrival.

           No . . . something was wrong. Something was terribly, _terribly_ wrong.

           The older vessel rushed after their sibling, reaching for the nail on their back. The little one had gotten a head start of them though and was already almost halfway toward their new sibling.

           Before they could get closer however, there was a sudden, loud _crack_ as the head of the supposed vessel snapped backwards. Both of the true vessels stopped, watching in silent horror as the false body was mutilated even further.

           The creature, for at this point it could no longer be called their sibling, emerged from the deception, revealing its long, spindly legs and spiked body. The vessel the creature had worn now formed its twisted head.

           Despite the mangled corpse dangling from its neck, that was not what the older vessel found most unsettling about the creature. No, that distinction went to the creature’s swollen stomach. Something about the strange orange glow seemed so alluring. They found themselves staring, almost entranced by it.

           Their stupor ended just as quickly when the creature let out a hideous scream and pounced toward the younger vessel. The younger vessel spun around and ran toward their older sibling, but the creature was much faster.

           For one terrifying moment, the older vessel thought their sibling would be ripped apart.

           Before the creature could land however, the small vessel’s cloak elongated with a rush of air, propelling them directly into their sibling. The sudden impact almost knocked them over, but the older vessel managed to maintain their balance while gripping onto their younger sibling with their free right arm.

           The creature landed, clearly surprised by the sudden speed of the smaller vessel, but just as quickly, it leaped toward the the older vessel. This was a mistake. With a swift dodge, the vessel slashed at the creature with their nail. The creature screeched at the sudden gouge in its leg and leaped away from the vessel before they could land another blow.

           Seeing the creature retreat, the older vessel ran for the hallway, their previous fatigue utterly forgotten. Before they could reach the hallway however, they saw the creature leaping over their head. It landed directly in front of the entrance, intent on not letting them escape. The creature let out another piercing screech before charging directly at them.

           The older vessel looked for a way out. If they could just jump over the creature it should allow them enough time to escape as it charged, but it was too tall for them to jump over carrying their sibling. Unless of course . . .

           With the creature rushing toward them, the older vessel made a snap decision and jumped before they were once again enveloped in light. This time however, the additional rightward weight from their sibling managed to balance out their jump. The creature went barreling past beneath them.

           They managed to land on their feet, just barely, with the hallway in front of them. From behind them came the sickening thud of the creature as it collided with the wall before it collapsed into a dazed heap.

           By the time the creature came round, they were already long gone.


	2. Illusion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was not happy with the first version of this chapter. I can no longer quite say that.

            Ghost still has no idea where the two of them are going.

            And it isn’t for a lack of trying that they don’t know; they have asked Hollow several times already, but all they have been told in return is that they are going _somewhere_ (Somewhere . . . ? **_Somewhere!_ **). Ghost can feel the sly smile behind Hollow’s every response.

            The route they’re taking isn’t helping either. It started normal enough with the two of them making their way up through the tramway and into the City of Tears, but then Hollow led them into _King’s Station_ before buying a two way stag ticket. Ghost still doesn’t know where Hollow got all the geo from (though, maybe that’s for the better).

            Anyways, with a stag ticket, the two of them could be going just about _anywhere_. They might be going to Deepnest or Greenpath, or maybe even Fog Canyon (that idea’s a personal favorite of theirs). Unfortunately with Hollow being so opaque, all they can do is wait to arrive.

            Ghost’s shoulders droop at the thought; they don’t like waiting, but they suppose they’ll endure it. For Hollow.

            Idly, they let their eyes drift about; it’s all they can do to avoid squirming in Hollow’s lap. It’s just the two of them on the stag. No one else was at the terminal, and they don’t have the usual group with them. Hornet’s away, visiting her mother in Deepnest, and Quirrel has been busy at the Archives recently. Ghost is a little bummed about their sister and friend’s absence, but at least they get to spend a little while with Hollow, just the two of them.

            Their eyes move onto the stagway tunnels around them. They’re not much to look at, large round shafts dug into the earth, punctuated by the occasional lumafly lantern. Everyone of them looks identical. Ghost has no idea how far they’ve traveled or if they have even traveled at all in this maze. The stag seems to know what they’re doing though. Hopefully it won’t be long until they-

            “ _Halting!_ ”

            A gruff voice pierces the air, and suddenly the stag jumps. Ghost feels Hollow’s arm wrap firmly around their chest before they’re pressed into it as the stag lands. After sliding a short distance, the stag comes to complete stop.

            They’ve arrived. Ghost feels Hollow secure their grip on them before climbing off of the stag. It isn’t long until they’re on the platform, and Hollow quickly sets them down on the solid stone.

            Hollow turns to thank the stag, but Ghost is only half paying attention. They’re more interested in looking around at the station. Strangely, the terminal they’re at appears to be the _only_ terminal. The boarding platform connects to a small room with nothing more than walls and an elevator that looks like it could barely hold more than five bugs. They’ve never seen a station this size before. Where _are_ they?

            “Alright, I’m off now. You two kids enjoy Dirtmouth.” The stags voice suddenly intrudes back into their awareness, and the sound of the stag leaving quickly follows.

            All of Ghost’s attention however, is on what the stag said. Are they in . . . _Dirtmouth?_ They’ve heard of Dirtmouth! Quirrel has shown them the little town on a map before, and if they’re in _Dirtmouth_ , then that means that they’re close to the _surface_.

            Excitement rushes into their mind. Quirrel has told them about the surface before or at least tried to. Ghost never quite understood what they were saying and neither did Hollow, but the _way_ Quirrel talked about it left little doubt. This was a place they _needed_ to see.

            And now they’re here!

            Ghost dashes up to Hollow. Their question shoots out as soon as they make eye contact.

_Surface?_

            Ghost can feel Hollow breaking out into a huge mental grin as they nod. Ghost returns the joy, practically bouncing up and down instead of standing. Hollow flicks their head toward the small elevator on the other side of the terminal before offering their hand. Ghost quickly accepts.

            The elevator can’t go fast enough. It’s probably good Hollow is here otherwise they might be tempted to try climbing the walls. Eventually, the elevator reaches the top, and the two of them waste no time in exiting the station.

            Ghost sees it before they’re even entirely out the door. They’ve come out into the town-square. A bench is in the center, and buildings are dotted around the edge, but Ghost’s eyes are drawn almost immediately to what’s _behind_ the buildings or, more specifically, what _isn’t_.

_There are no cavern walls._ Ghost’s eyes dart about, but they can’t find the familiar stone sides anywhere. Then their gaze drifts upward. There’s no _roof_ either, only a dull endless gray. It’s so _huge;_ Ghost isn’t sure if they could have ever _imagined_ something so huge. Their eyes are getting lost in it.

            A slight squeeze of their hand brings Ghost back to reality. It takes a moment before they manage to pry their eyes away from the hole where the world should be and glance to their side. Hollow is looking at them, their gaze stoic as always, but Ghost can feel the sense of _awe_ behind it.

_Better view._

            Hollow’s words are buzzing with excitement as they point toward a field a short distance out of town, away from all the buildings. Ghost gives an enthusiastic nod, and soon the two of them are making their way to the field.

            Ghost continues to glance up at the emptiness above them as they walk. A minute may have passed by now, but they _still_ can’t get over the sight of it. The light from the town is fading behind them, and without the buildings to obscure it, the darkness above is even more all encompassing. It’s beautiful . . .

_. . . and familiar._

            Wait, _what?_ That can’t be right. They have _never_ seen anything like this. How could it be familiar? And yet, they feel it in the back of their mind like a low buzzing, the sense that they _have_ seen something like this before. But from where . . . _wait._

            This feeling isn’t coming from _them_. It’s coming from _Hollow_.

_. . . Why is Hollow projecting this onto them?_

            They’re about to ask when they feel a sudden tug on their hand. They turn their head. Hollow has stopped walking. Their limbs lay still at their side, but their head is tilted upward.

_Hollow?_

            Ghost gently pulls on Hollow’s hand and mind, but strangely they don’t seem to notice. Their eyes remain locked on the sky without so much as a flicker.

            Then without warning, Hollow’s body _jolts._ Ghost feels Hollow’s hand yanked out of theirs by Hollow’s previously limp arm. The eerie sense of recognition leaking into Ghost’s mind becomes outright _panic._

            Ghost is suddenly panicking as well. They don’t know what’s wrong, but it _frightens_ them. Hollow is trembling, something Ghost has _never_ seen their collected older sibling do, and Hollow _still_ doesn’t seem to notice them. Ghost grabs onto Hollow’s arm with both hands and _pulls_.

            It takes several long moments until Hollow finally looks down at them, but something in their eyes is wrong. In place of their normally stoic gaze is a wild look Ghost has never seen before, and suddenly that look is boring into them with a feverish intensity.

_Going to fall_ . _Can’t make jump. Will fail. Will_ **_fall_** _!_

            Hollow’s thoughts come forcefully cascading into their mind, but Ghost can’t make any sense of them. The two of them are in the middle of a flat plain with nothing higher than a few distant single story buildings, and no one is on top of _any_ of them. _Who_ is going to fall?

            Hollow doesn’t answer; they only look back up toward the sky. Ghost follows Hollow’s gaze, but they don’t understand. There is nothing up there but dark grey; no one is about to-

            But that’s not true.

            Ghost sees- No, _Hollow_ sees and Ghost can see through them that someone _is_ up there, not in the clouds but in the middle of what feels like a giant well, standing on a platform made of shell and stone, towering far above the ground. 

            Ground made of a thousand pale, broken skulls.

_NO_ ! Ghost rips their mind away from Hollow’s thoughts. They aren’t _real_. The two of them are in _Dirtmouth_ ; the ground is made of _bricks_ , not _masks_. Ghost yanks on Hollow’s robes, but they barely react. They’re too focused on the bug far above them.

            The image of the bug is still inside Ghost’s mind, and they realize with fresh horror that it isn’t just _any_ bug. Their white head is crowned with four short horns and set with two familiar dark eyes. That’s one of their _siblings_ up there.

            Hollow’s panicked thoughts are there as well, blaring into their mind louder and louder. _Don’t! To far! Can’t reach it!_ Ghost can barely make out their own thoughts in the storm, but they can see their sibling crouching on the edge of the platform about to-

            . . . _about to jump._

            A ledge suddenly comes looming out of the darkness, facing their sibling, and before Ghost can process what’s happening, their sibling is sprinting across the platform. Hollow’s voice has become hysterical, begging their sibling not to do it, but it doesn’t work. As soon as their sibling reaches the edge, they jump.

**_NO!_ **

            The torrent from Hollow becomes an overwhelming flood, and Ghost finally loses whatever composure they had left. They’re not even words anymore, just raw emotions, pain and loss, and above everything the image of their sibling missing the ledge is being unrelentingly _seared_ into their mind. They want to scream, shout, do _anything_ , but they can’t. All they can do is watch silently as their sibling falls . . .

            Even from this distance, they hear the mask shatter against the stone.

            Ghost’s entire body is trembling. They don’t understand. Why is Hollow seeing this? Why are _they_ seeing this? _Why is their sibling dead?_ They don’t know what’s going on, but they want it to stop. They can’t _handle_ it anymore. Their legs feel like they’re about to buckle; black tears are rolling down their cheeks.

_Please . . . just . . . stop._

            Then suddenly, it does.

            The overwhelming thoughts, the images, the _emotions_ , they’re all gone, receded even faster than they came. The only sound left in their mind is their own sobbing, and even that begins to fade.

            A moment passes, and they hear something next to them shifting. A hand gently comes to rest on their back.

            . . . _Ghost . . . ?_

            They feel Hollow in their mind again, but it’s quiet now, timid even, nothing like the cascade from before. They turn their head sideways and find Hollow looking at them. The wild look from before is gone; Hollow’s eyes are hesitant and filled with concern. It’s a far cry from their sibling’s usual stoic gaze, but it’s recognizable, _familiar._ They’ve never been so happy to see those eyes again.

            Fresh tears burst out onto their cheeks. They rush up and pull Hollow’s legs into a tight embrace.

            They don’t see Hollow move, but they feel it as Hollow’s arms wrap around them and pick them up off of the ground. Hollow is soon hugging them against their chest. One of Hollow’s hands is gently rubbing their back. It takes a little while, but slowly, the tears in Ghost’s eyes begin to ebb.

_Going home._

            It’s a statement not a question. Ghost doesn’t need to approve of it, but they nod their head faintly anyway. Neither of them want to be here any longer.

            They feel Hollow grip them a little tighter as their older sibling begins the walk out of the field and back toward the stag station.

**Author's Note:**

> I would like to take the time to blame Empy (Avia) for turning a previously dedicated lurker into some kind of active participant.


End file.
